Wine Road Board Meeting

June 12, 2014 – 9:00am

Vintners Inn

In Attendance:  Renae Perry, Robin Calkins, Ross James, Sue Burnet, Stacy Rafanelli, Robert Conrad, Kathleen Inmann, Jeff noel, Darek Trowbridge, Aaron Krug, Kevin        West, Carla Jeffries, Carri Holdridge, Beth Costa.

 

Called to Order – Renae Perry @ 9:05am

 

9:05:

Treasurer’s Report

• Profit & Loss Report
• Checking = $37,866.01 / Savings – $220,202.60
• Budget will be reviewed @next Executive meting
• Barrel Tasting income less than expected
• Proposed Advertising Ideas
• Ad with Weekend Sherpa – cost is $4k for 1 ad
• More targeted advertising – as to Via Magazine for RV people
• Proposal of a 2 tiered ticket to wine road – discounted ticket for midweek

 

9:15

Retreat Follow-Up

• New Board member – Carri Holdrege
• Review of Minutes – motion to approve by Sue, seconded by Robert
• General Meeting
  • Every board member is assigned 1 topic
  • Review of each topic by board members
  • Dress rehearsal  for General Meeting to be at WR office on 7/9/14 @ 4:00

9:40

Beth’s Office Report

• Website
  • Taking longer to move our custom built management system to Word Press but should be completed shortly
• Along the Wine Road Blog
  • New look – 2-3 posts per week
• My Wine Road Newsletter
  • Newsletter goes out first Thursday every week.  50K subscribers
  • Reporting more newsletters are being opened and connecting with website.  Re-sends occur on Sunday to those newsletters that were not opened on Thursday
• Tuesday News Day
  • Monday Memos have officially and successfully been replaced by Tuesday News Day
• Monthly Recap – aim to do it at beginning of each month
• Monterey & San Diego
  • Monterey – WR staff complemented by Nick Frey
    • 21 Wineries participated
    • Ann was interviewed by local SD Radio station
  • San Diego
    • 8 signed up / 15 is our goal
    • Over 5,000 attendees are projected

 

9:55

Committee Reports

• Events
  • Focus is on BT, specifically raising price of ticket
  • Committee wants to raise price but survey reflected to keep price same.  One option is to not have early sales and start ticket at $40
  • Board Discussion:  if price is to increase, then everyone must vote!
  • Suggested Pricing to be presented to WR members
    • Pricing for weekend to be $40 presale / $60 at door
    • Pricing for Sunday only to be $30 earlybird & $40 at door
    • 2 year lock-in price

• Motion to approve – Robert
• 2nd – Ross
• Unanimously passed
• Marketing
  • We have a solid editorial calendar
  • Asking board to be advocates for topics
  • Da Vintner’s Code:  contest to encourage people to stay longer or engage in conversation  with winery staff & other guests
• Membership
  • Appointment to visit new member, FogCrest, on Monday, June 16th

 

10:30

Public Relations

• Press Tour – Is currently happening with 7 journalists.
  • Walking tour of Healdsburg
  • Touring 3 AVAs

 

10:40

Old Business

• Make-A-Wish –  idea is to no longer participate in a pouring to raise money, but to actually be able to grant a wish
• March of Dimes – online auction on EBAY – 2 pkgs worth over $1k
• Organized Tastings
  • Twitter canceled 3x
  • EventBrite – 9 wineries participated / pouring lasted about 1.5 hours

 

10:50

New Business

• Proposal for winery assessments to be paid online through EventBrite.  Service Fee is $8.00 – discussion for WR to waive service charge to encourage wineries to pay online
• Wine Club Seminar with Kathy Barkley – date to be determined
• Carri Holdrege to join Events Committee
• Beth’s Goals Reviewed
  • Motion to approve – Robert
  • 2nd – Ross
  • Unanimously passed

 

Meeting Adjourned:  11:10